The tabs below will provide you with some additional information about access to abortion care in Pennsylvania.

Yes, but there are restrictions

  • It is legal to 24 weeks gestational age (from last menstrual period).
  • Use of state and federal Medical Assistance (MA) Funds are prohibited for abortion services, with exceptions for rape, incest or to avert the death of the pregnant person.
  • A patient is required to undergo mandated counseling from an abortion provider.
  • There is a 24 hour wait before getting an abortion. This waiting period can be waived if health is at risk because of the pregnancy.
  • If under the age of 18, a parent or guardian must give permission to get an abortion or request a judicial bypass to waive the requirement for parental involvement.

There is no Federal constitutional right to an abortion, and the authority over abortion law is now determined by individual states.

Yes, multiple bills have been introduced that would ban or restrict abortion access.

  1. S.B. 378 (Mastriano) H.B. 904 (Borowicz) – 6 week abortion ban.
  2. S.B. 956 (J.Ward) H.B. 2252 (Oberlander) – Would amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to remove any statewide judicial protections for abortion.
  3. S.B. 152 (J.Ward) – Would limit funding for family planning services that provide abortion.
  4. H.B. 1500 (Klunk) – Prohibits abortion based on a patient's reason.
  5. S.B. 1872 (Bonner) – Requires patients to receive excess pain relief medication or anesthesia prior to an abortion, in order to direct anesthetic to the fetus.
  • Yes, abortion is safe and common.
  • 1 in 4 women will have had an abortion by the time they turn 45 years old.
  • Abortion is a safe procedure with less health risks than common surgeries, like removing wisdom teeth.
  • 95% of women who had abortions continued to feel confident about their decision.
  • Individuals should consult with a medical professional for further information.
  • Medication abortion is a non-surgical abortion where the patient ends their pregnancy by taking a pill or series of pills.
  • Mifepristone, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2000, is used with another medication called misoprostol to end early pregnancy. Mifepristone is well established in medical literature as a safe alternative to surgical abortion.
  • In 2019, 45% of all abortions provided in Pennsylvania were medical abortions.
  • The regimen of pills can be taken safely at home, a method increasingly used around the world.
  • The protocol approved for use in the United States includes two medications. The first one, mifepristone, blocks a hormone called progesterone that is necessary for a pregnancy to continue. The second, misoprostol, brings on uterine contractions.
  • The combination of these pills causes a complete abortion in more than 99 percent of patients.

Although abortion is safe and effective, many women have difficulties accessing care. Barriers to safe legal abortion include

  • Money
  • Travel logistics
  • Limited clinics
  • State restrictions

These factors all result in delayed care, negative mental health consequences, and the consideration of unsafe methods to end a pregnancy. Black and Brown communities and low-income earners are disproportionately impacted.

 

Latest News

Women's Health Caucus Supported Legislation

(Jul 01, 2022) Women’s Health Caucus

The Women's Health Caucus supports the following legislation for the 2021-22 Legislative Session and is working towards its enactment. Read more

External Link >>>

After Roe, we know what the Pa. GOP will do, says Rep. Fiedler

(Jun 29, 2022) Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler

In Pennsylvania, abortion remains safe and legal, for now. But none of us should count on the GOP majority in the state House to defend our rights or our bodies. Read more

Pennsylvania Women’s Health Caucus Co-Chairs and Members of State Senate Democratic Caucus Slam Supreme Court Decision, Call for Action to Preserve Abortion Access in Pennsylvania

(Jun 24, 2022) Women’s Health Caucus

HARRISBURG, June 24 — Co-chairs of the Pennsylvania Women’s Health Caucus (WHC) and members of the Pennsylvania State Senate Democratic Caucus criticized today's ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The ruling by the court not only upheld a Mississippi law banning abortion after 15 weeks but also goes further and overturns both Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, opening the door for states to outright ban or severely restrict abortion. The ruling eliminates the constitutional right to an abortion recognized by the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. Since a draft of the opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito was leaked and its authenticity subsequently confirmed by the court, advocacy groups, elected officials, and stakeholders have been issuing dire warnings about what such a radical decision would mean and the detrimental impact it would have on the health of millions of Americans. After today’s decision, the 13 states that passed trigger laws now have bans or severe restrictions already enshrined into law, leaving millions of Americans without access to abortion immediately. Arkansas, Idaho and Oklahoma law now criminalizes abortion with penalties ranging from 5 to ten years in prison. "The Supreme Court's decision is absolutely gutting and a severe blow to women across the country,” said WHC co-chair Sen. Judy Schwank (D-11th). “We have a maternal mortality crisis in the Read more

External Link >>>

Anti-Abortion Pregnancy Centers Are Collecting Troves of Data That Could Be Weaponized Against Women

(Jun 22, 2022) Time Magazine

“It’s just nuts,” says Mary Jo Daley, a Democratic state representative in Pennsylvania, who introduced a bill directed at pregnancy centers. “They’re collecting all this information, and you don’t know how they’re gonna use it because they’re not health care providers. And women don’t know that. It’s frightening.” Read more

External Link >>>

Opinion | Pro-Life Representatives may be the reason thousands of students can’t afford Pitt

(Jun 21, 2022) The Pitt News

This tuition discount is a life-changing benefit for many Pennsylvanian families and students. In many cases, it is the only factor that makes Pitt affordable. The fact the bill is at risk due to anti-abortion sentiment among state representatives is an indication of how backward the pro-life movement has become. Read more

View more news items